Strap-attaching buckle



' May. 18 1948 A 'i w. H. CHURCHILL I 2,441,930 l STRAP-ATTACHING BUCKLE Filed Jan. 16,l 1945 /7 wmerH. duwmz.

Patented May 18,A 1948 2,441,9aoe y STItlBi-TTACHING BUCKLE -Wilmer illnhurchll, Saugus, Mass., assignor to .United-Carr Fastener Corporation,I Cambridge, Mass.,;.a eorporaton 'of Massachusetts iikplcation ifanuariy- 16, 1945-, Serial No. '5731021 'The rpresent v.invention :relates-ite improvements :in :buckles fan-d more :partinulatly to 'buoklesfor .attaoliingfaiflexible strip, :strap :or the like ite (a fsupport or #anchoring'smegniben many installati-ons ilexible strips vorstraps Aare employed as -ties for:fastening:mefans;l and quite irequently one fend 'fof the-fstrapx-isspermainently attachedito a xed :support "or pam-,1- of-:a

fgarment. 'For example, @with-@military flielmetsa flexible strap -is employed-'esa retaining imeniber, 4one -endof'whichis oopedaro'und anvanohor, ifor example #a Lbail on the helmet', .-fan'dsecureditirerelto 'by vsuitable cmean's as by-1ri=vetsV @passed between iopposed "layers loi? the-strap. 'When *these fstraips =-bre93k,frepl'aoen'ient thereof ifs 1 not rreadi-lyfeeoted,

idue to lthefnecessity of permanently. securing the vopposite foldsfof a ereplfaeemen'tffs'trap, ais'ibyiii-v- 4etsor likefsecuring-means. i

My present invention provides arrewA and imend 'of a strap and :provides means 'forready-attachment to an anchoring element or bar.

'-More 4particularly the invention aims to provide 4an improved tadju stable strap-attaehing member inthe nature-cfa repair 'olip, permitting Lthe readyand vsecure1cormect'ion.fef a :strap-ite 'a 'bail or'loop-like anchor, without-@the-necessityof permanent fastnings such'trsrivets, and fthe ilike.

Other aims land objects or 'the invention-Willbe apparentfromaconsid'erationfoftheaouompanyg ing drawings andY 'annexed spiecifea-tioi'iV Aillustrating `and;describing a'preferred "ormof the invention. v Y l *Inthe drawings` i y l W Fig. 1 is a fragmental sectional view' 1of afper- 'tion of a :military helm-'et xi'lli'istrat'i'ng inelevae tion, my improved buckle andla Aiportiorro'i' la strap attached thereto;

Fig. 2 vis a side elevation of a buckle embodying one form of my mvention, fand. :illustrated in its normal. unclalmped, position; b

Fig. 3 is a top plan View o'f the .'fiorint ofbu'cikle shown in Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 'is an end elevation of' the buckle as l vievvediffrom the left handside'of Fig. 2;

Fig, 5 is anv end elevation forl `the buckle as 'viewed from .the right hane'lfsitie. .of Fig. e2;

Fig; 6 .is an enlargedv detaifliziongitudinaleseoktional viewof .the buckleshownrin Fig. i2. with a portion of a strap attached; -andf-illustratngithe relative position of the-parts immediatelyfaif-ter folding the buckle about the bail'and before final clamping of the parts together;

Fig. 7 isV a detail transverse sectional view of 2 the buckle as illustrated in Eig. 6,V andy-as tak-e `on thefline V'l-f-l ofFigf. 6; and

Fig. Aissatrans-versesectional view, similar to 'Fig. w75, :but :illustrating the :position of -th'e vparts .'In the "accompanying :drawings Iv have ziilus- "tratefd: :ener-form otv 'buckle 'of the invention for `izhe;at'ta'chiment :of'zazstrap 5 tothefbail I fof et mili- Vtaryihelrnet '2; thoufgh :it will 'be understood/that thesinvention- :is-equally applicableto tether 'linfstallationsfin whiohfastrap fis to be :looped :around randfse'cured to, fa post, bail 2'or other suitable an- -olfmrirrg spart.

In the .illustrated installation, the helmet :Ziln'aiy be -o'f anyapproved type, for example fa combat helmet ofimetail havingA ja Astrap-receiving ibaiiil .or `anchor suitably attached 'ftheretoor forime'd as a part there'o'f. 'The A'helmet strapvii Lco'nveniently Vhas La. fastener member (no't shown) attached to one end. In prior vr'installa'ti'ons a-'n :end-'of' lthe strap has been looped around -the bail and '-sen -cure'dfin placelby suitable means, for example rivetspassed-through opposedrlayers fof 'the strap.

According to the invention, the end portion of fthe strap i5, -fto be anchored to the installation #or support, fis-'adjustablyse'cured against slippage ito a buk-le, which is vtonmed with la readily bendab'le clamping portion adapted to underlie strap-receiving portion -of they buokle andl be 'clamped "thereto vand fte' form therewith a `hinge 'loop for iconnection with the anehoring post -or bail.

one preferred `Yform of the inventiom *the buck-1e"cmnprises an elongated member of suitablel material, E)for example sheet metal, present- A'ing'a slotted* strap-receiving portion |10, a {clamp- "lingportion H 'and a readily deformable hinge portion' il'lz 'intermediate and 'connecting the por.- torrslbland ill.'

'The,strap-receiving"V portion |451 of the buckle may :be 'of any approved type to adjustably receive and clamp VWithout slippage a straperrd. Preferably, 'a'nd 4in' the illustrated"embodiment it comprises va fframefbody plate portion |`3 having vside bars Il., which may be formed; as imstand- The clamping portion II of the buckle may be formed with a cover portion I1 to cover at least a part of the strap-receiving portion, and preferably the portion of the strap passed through and adjacent to the outermost slot I5. The cover portion I'I is preferably of slightly greater width than. the strap-receiving portion and is provided with side Wings I8 adapted to embrace the side flanges I4 as the portions I0 and II are folded together. The wings I8 are preferably of greater length than the depth or height of the side ilanges so as to provide portions capable of being bent over the strap into clamping engagement therewith as shown in Fig. 8.

In cases where it is desired to provide a clamp-4 ing portion having a cover I'I to completely underlie the whole of the strap-receiving portion, the cover may be bowed outwardly as at I9 to accommodate the fold of the strap, as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6.

The hinge portion I2 connecting the strap-receiving portion I0 andthe clamping portion II is preferably arcuate shaped as shown in Fig. 2, to provide a loop or hinge adapted` to surround a pin, post, bail or other suitable anchor I. 'The hinge portion I2 is weakened, as by cutting out an opening 20 centrally thereof and/or also side notches 2| to sufficiently weaken the'bight as to localize bending in the central portion thereof.

From the above it will be apparent that the invention provides a very simple attaching buckle for securing a strap to an anchor. The buckle is intially of the form shown in Fig. 2, in which condition the strap end may be applied thereto in the manner shown in Fig. 7. This permits adjustment of the strap length as desired, and slippage is prevented because the end portion of the strap is gripped between another portion of the strap and the outermost cross bar I6, whenever tension or pull is applied to the strap.

The buckle may be iitted around the post or bail ,I constituting the anchor with the anchor within the loop portion 22 ofthe hinge I2. The i clamping portion I I may then be pressed against the assembled strap and strap-receiving portion I0 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and thereafter the wings I8 may be bent inwardly over the side anges I4 into gripping engagement with the strap 5 as shown in Fig. 8. In this way the strap is securely clamped to the strap-receiving portion Ill between the cover I'I and inwardly folded wing ends.

The invention provides a new and improved strap-attaching clip or buckle, insuring long life to a strap because the metal loop of the buckle surrounding the bailv removes wear from a bight portion of the strap. Furthermore, in the event of breakage of the strap, a new rone may readily be replaced on the buckle, simply by opening the buckle and applying e, new strap to the strap-receiving portion, and thereafter reclosing the buckle. Y

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular form of the invention shown and described, as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

I claim: y

1. A strap-attaching buckle comprising an elongated strap-receiving portion formed with transverse slots providing transverse bars about which a strap may be folded and adjustably attached, a clamping portion adapted to engage at least one fold of a strap attached to the strap-receiv- .4 ing portion, said clamping portion for receiving a portion of said strap, and an intermediate bight portion connecting said strap-receiving and clamping portion and providing a loop for loosely encompassing a part to which the buckle is to be attached.

2. A strap-attaching Vbuckle comprising an elongated strap-receiving portion formed with transverse slots providing transverse bars about which a strap may be folded and adjustably attached, said strap-receiving portion having spaced outwardly extending flanges for receiving the strap therebetween, a clamping portion adapted to engage opposite folds of a strap attached to the strap-receiving portion, and an intermediate bight portion connecting said strapreceiving and clamping portion and providing a loop for loosely encompassing a part to which the buckle is to be attached.

3. A strap-attaching buckle comprising an elongated strap-receivng portion formed with transverse slots providing transverse bars about which a strap may be folded and adjustably attached, a clamping portion adapted to engage at least one fold of a strap attached to the strap-receiving portion in regions adjacent the outer slot and bar, and an intermediate bight portion'connecting said strap-receiving and clamping portion and providing a loopior loosely encompassing a part to which the buckle is to be attached. i

4. AA buckle for attaching a strap to an anchor member comprising an elongated metal member having an intermediate hinge portion,` one end portion of said member being transversely slotted and providing astrap-receiving portion to which a strap may be adjustably connected and the other end member adapted to be folded relatively to said strap-receiving portion and engaged therewith to clamp a strap thereto, said intermediate hinge portion providing a loop beyond the strapreceiving portion to encompass ananchorr member. f

5. A buckle for attaching a strap to an anchor member, comprising an elongated metal member having an intermediate hinge portion andopposed angularly disposed strap-receiving and clamping end portions, said strap-receiving portion having Va plurality of spaced cross bars around which the end of a strap may-be woven to adjustably connect a strap thereto, said clamping portion being foldable into overlapping engagementwith said strap-receiving portion, and angular extensions on said clamping portions, said portions being bendable over the strap-receiving portion whereby portions of the clampingportion may be disposed on opposite sides of the strap-receiving portion for engaging a strap to be attached thereto. v

, WILMER H. CHURCHILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 94,042 Sturges Aug. 24, 1869 303,103 Anderson Aug. f5, 1884 500,637 Warner July 4,1893 507,002 Harris Oct- `17, 1893 1,636,121 Brauns et al.V July 19, 1927 1,732,904 Miller` Oct. 22,V 1929 

